There was a lucky escape for a man at the weekend when a wall crashed down on him in a busy Dundee department store.
At about 1.30pm on Saturday, a shelving unit packed with jeans collapsed near the escalators on the first floor of TJ Hughes, in the Wellgate.
At least one man was knocked on to the ground as a result.
Witnesses said a woman who was with him was visibly upset by the incident, which caused a “massive clatter and bang”.
It is not known who the couple are but they appeared not to be seriously injured.
One witness said he was angry the wall appeared to be overstocked, which he thinks may have caused the collapse.
Staff were quick to clear up the shelving and clothing but the area was sealed off later in the afternoon.
Shopper Cameron Snedden said: “I was in TJ Hughes and heard a massive clatter and bang.
“I walked towards the escalator and witnessed one of the store walls coming away with lots of stock on it.
“As I walked round a woman was distressed and a man was getting up from the floor, who seemed not to be injured.
“The wall did not look like it was being held on by much, which angered me. The situation could have been much worse and I hope everyone involved is okay.”
TJ Hughes was hailed as a coup for the Wellgate Shopping Centre when it was announced in 2018 the discount department store would be moving into the vacant unit, previously housed by BHS.
The Liverpool-based firm signed a 15-year lease for the two-floor store.
Wellgate Shopping Centre manager Peter Aitken described the deal as “pivotal”.
TJ Hughes previously had a unit in the Wellgate, but left in 2011.
A Dundee taxi driver raised concerns when the store was being kitted out in June 2018 when he saw a skip hanging from a crane with cars driving nearby.
He said: “Members of the public were free to walk past and no one was around apart from the driver”.
But construction workers said safety was their “number one priority” and pointed out they had an independent safety inspector on site at all times.
TJ Hughes did not respond despite being approached for comment on multiple occasions by The Courier.
